This invention relates generally to storage and dispenser units for boxed goods, and more particularly to a turret adapted to support and display a set of such units.
In the merchandising of candy and other products contained in small boxes, it is desirable that the product be attractively displayed in order to draw customers. The display on the counter of a single box is not feasible, for then the box is obscured by many other competing products. Moreover when the product is advertised by a counter display card, but the supply of boxes is at another location, then should a customer seek to make a purchase, the sales person must leave the counter to find the supply and take a box therefrom, thereby complicating the transaction.
In order to provide dispensers which act both to store and display small containers of merchandise, it is known to provide units for this purpose which may be suspended from a wall or placed on the counter to attract customers and facilitate purchases. But units of the type heretofore known have a small capacity and are of relatively complex and costly construction.
In a copending patent application Ser. No. 532,858 filed Dec. 18, 1974 by Joseph P. Palamara, which is assigned to the same assignee as in the present application the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, there is shown a dispenser unit for rectangular boxes formed of transparent plastic material, each box including a hinged end hatch which, when opened, permits removal of candy pieces, such as mints in pill form.
This dispenser unit which is also disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 576,304 filed May 12, 1975, is constituted by a frame having a pair of parallel side walls from which ledges project inwardly to divide the frame into distinct compartments for accommodating the boxes to be stored, each compartment having a discharge opening permitting lateral withdrawal of boxes, one at a time. The advantage of a dispenser unit of this type is that it is adapted to store a large number of relatively fragile boxes and to protect them against mishandling and damage.
Units of the type disclosed in the above-identified patent applications are designed for vertical mounting on a wall or counter. For wall mounting, the upper rear cross-piece of the unit is provided with a key hole, making it possible to suspend the unit from a peg on the wall so that the unit then lies against the wall. But for counter mounting, a stand must be provided to hold the unit in an erect position.
In most situations, counter mounting is preferred in that then the customer is able to remove a box from the unit, whereas in wall mounting, the unit is not accessible to the customer and the sales person must therefore, upon request, withdraw a box.
The practical objection to a counter stand for a single dispenser unit is that the boxes in the unit can best be seen by a customer facing the unit, and if the customer is at the counter to one side of the unit, he will not be attracted thereto and a sale may be lost. Moreover, a single dispenser unit for boxes containing a popular candy is quickly exhausted and because of the limited capacity of the unit, it is necessary to recharge the unit with boxes at fairly frequent intervals.